כְּבָר
𐤊𐤁𐤓
Kevar
H3529 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun denoting the Kebar canal (or river), a specific waterway in Mesopotamia referenced in Ezekiel as the site of the prophet's visions. The term designates a geographical feature rather than a generic river or stream, likely describing an artificial canal rather than a natural river.
Semantic Range
Kebar canal (proper name of a canal or river in Mesopotamia), location near Nippur associated with Israelite exile; not a generic term for river or canal.
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew root כּבר, which can imply 'to be great, much, or abundant,' but in this case used as a proper geographical name. There may be a connection to Akkadian kabāru ('great'), a common designation for canals in Babylonian texts, but direct etymology is not certain. Similar names are attested elsewhere, but precise derivation remains uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Appears exclusively in the book of Ezekiel as the significant locale of the prophet’s visions during the Babylonian exile. The canal is thought to have been part of the extensive irrigation network near Nippur, operated by the Babylonians. While traditional translations sometimes render the name as 'river Chebar,' archaeological and linguistic evidence points towards it being a man-made canal, not a natural river. The term does not have theological connotation itself but is central to Ezekiel’s prophetic context. Comparison with חָבוֹר (H2249) is sometimes made due to the similarity in sound, but the two refer to different rivers/canals in the Mesopotamian region. The word's use is confined to exilic and post-exilic contexts, reflecting the exile community's environment in Babylonia. English translations as 'Chebar' or 'Kebar' are transliterations without semantic meaning in English.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
the same as כְּבָר; length; Kebar, a river of Mesopotamia; Chebar. Compare חָבוֹר.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
כבר (k-b-r) — greatness, abundance, thickness
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1247 | בַּר | Kebar Canal |
| H3523 | כְּבִיר | plaited bedding |
| H3524 | כַּבִּיר | mighty |
| H3527 | כָּבַר | he causes to multiply |
| H3528 | כְּבָר | in that already |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3529-01 |
כְּבָ֑ר | kevar | HNp |
Chebar | Kebar Canal | 8 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3529-01 |
Ezekiel 1:1 | כְּבָ֑ר | kevar | HNp |
Kebar | Kebar Canal |
H3529-01 |
Ezekiel 1:3 | כְּבָ֑ר | kevar | HNp |
Chebar | Kebar Canal |
H3529-01 |
Ezekiel 3:15 | כְּבָר֙ | kevar | HNp |
Chebar | Kebar Canal |
H3529-01 |
Ezekiel 3:23 | כְּבָ֑ר | kevar | HNp |
Kebar | Kebar Canal |
H3529-01 |
Ezekiel 10:15 | כְּבָֽר | kevar | HNp |
Chebar | Kebar Canal |
H3529-01 |
Ezekiel 10:20 | כְּבָ֑ר | kevar | HNp |
Chebar | Kebar Canal |
H3529-01 |
Ezekiel 10:22 | כְּבָ֔ר | kevar | HNp |
of Chebar | Kebar Canal |
H3529-01 |
Ezekiel 43:3 | כְּבָ֑ר | kevar | HNp |
Kebar | Kebar Canal |